During World War I, a famous recruitment poster with Uncle Sam proclaimed, “I Want You.” In the decades since, millions have answered the call to service, going all over the world, giving blood and sweat for their country. And many of those men and women made the ultimate sacrifice for life and liberty.
With Memorial Day less than a week away, there couldn’t be a better time to acknowledge Prairie du Chien’s Honor Guard, which provides ceremonial services for military veterans and servicemen during their funerals. They present flags to the families of fallen veterans, conduct rifle salutes and play taps at funerals (the bugle call used by the military to signal the end of the day).
“Every deceased serviceman deserves the honor of having the military at his or her funeral,” said John Yager, commander of the PdC Honor Guard. “I think it’s important to veterans that what we do is the last thing before they’re buried… A lot of the veterans are happy to know we’re going to be there.”
The Honor Guard also takes part in programs on military holidays, including Memorial Day. On the day of the interview, Yager, who was in the National Guard, and other veterans had put out flags in preparation for the program. See page 6 of this paper for this year’s program schedule at the Fort Crawford Military Cemetery.
“Memorial Day is the big one for us because it’s honoring those of us [who] went before; those of us [who] were killed in service or died in service,” said Laura Moore, veterans service officer for Crawford County and a veteran herself.
Yager said their unit is looking for new members. Their numbers aren’t dropping yet, but they are in need of some new blood. “It’s staying about equal, but our people are getting older.”
According to Moore, the PdC Honor Guard’s current roster ranges between the ages of 57 and 88, with the majority over 70.
During the interview, Yager told a story about when the federal government gifted the Prairie American Legion with 10 rifles to establish an honor guard in 1946. In the 1950s, the government gave them 25 more rifles for the same purpose. “Shortly after that, they wanted an accounting for all of them, and, apparently, we couldn’t do it. Back then, a lot of the people on the honor guard who died had their rifles buried with them. We don’t do that anymore!”
The unit currently has 15 rifles (all accounted for, of course), with 13 of them in use and two at the county’s Veterans Service Office at the County Administration Building. So, veterans don’t need to go rifling around for their firearms should they be interested in joining Yager and his fellow servicemen.
According to Laura Moore, military service veterans can be members of the honor guard.
Yager said the Prairie unit normally stays within the Prairie du Chien area, with the occasional exception. “We did go to Eastman for a funeral — Eastman didn’t have enough people — so we went up there about five or six years ago.”
Yager estimated they are part of 10 to 12 funerals a year. Members are now given a $100 stipend per funeral in which they carry out their duties. The money is provided by the State of Wisconsin.
For more information on the honor guard or for veterans services, contact the Veterans Service Office at lmoore@co.crawford.wi.gov, cjelinek@co.crawford.wi. gov or 608-326-0204.
